


Bonding with Buchimaru

by RandomPanda



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: No Plot/Plotless, Slice of Life, canon characters as children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 16:05:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14793624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomPanda/pseuds/RandomPanda
Summary: A mother witnesses a chance meeting between two small children and Buchimaru.





	Bonding with Buchimaru

While waiting for my husband to return, I decided to let my son toddle in the store. Ren started walking last month and welcomed any opportunity to move around. So out of the stroller, he went, and he wandered to the toys on the shelf.

Plush toys of various animals sporting all the colors of the rainbow occupied the spaces, interrupted by the occasional ball collection. Ren moved at a semi-slow pace, studying the shelf’s contents with wide eyes shining with curiosity. With his red shirt and blue overalls, he was a red hat short of resembling a video game character. None of the plushies’ hats would fit him, though—too small.

My son approached a row of polka-dot pandas dressed as magicians resting on the lowest shelf. They must’ve been the new Buchimaru toy from the ads: Magician Buchimaru, or Magic Buchi-kun for short. Each one wore a cloak and a wizard’s hat. He held a black wand with a white tip, secured in place by stitches one wouldn’t notice without close observation. I stood and followed my son.

Ren reached for a Buchimaru with one small hand, but stopped when a shout rang out. I jumped a bit, too.

“Buchi!”

A brunette girl ran in from the other end of the aisle. She was somewhat taller than my son, maybe a year older than him. Her red eyes fixated completely on the Buchimaru lineup, and a broad smile lit up her face. In one smooth motion, she plucked a Magic Buchi-kun from the row, twirled, and came to a stop. Ren stared at her. Rather, at the toy in her arms.

I knew that pleading look: his I Want face. The girl grabbed the plushie he was reaching for, didn’t she? Uh-oh.

In the next instant, a tall man jogged over and knelt beside the brunette girl. “Whoa, whoa, Makoto! Don’t run off!” Despite his words, he sounded amused. He raised his eyes to mine, and I noticed a familial resemblance between him and the small girl. “Sorry, ma’am.”

“It’s all right, sir,” I assured. “Little kids are always energetic.” I gave my son a side hug, but he didn’t move or change expressions.

The man ruffled his daughter’s hair, and she stared at my son. The longer she did, the more her earlier excitement cooled.

Ren made a small sound—somewhere between fussing, curious, and fearful. I eyed the row of Buchimaru plushies, ready to grab one of the others from the shelf. Before either I or the girl’s father could say or do anything, however, Makoto trotted to Ren and handed him the Magic Buchi-kun toy she’d just taken. Ren scooped up the toy and snuggled it, and he smiled. At the same time, Makoto picked another Magic Buchi-kun and gave him a big hug. Two toddlers holding matching toys giggled away.

I felt my own smile form before I knew it. “Aw, thank you, Makoto-chan.” My son echoed me in toddler babble, or at least tried to. “Ren says thank you, too.”

“What a good girl,” said her father, who hugged her tight. Makoto nuzzled his shoulder in response.

“Does she like Buchimaru-kun?” I asked.

“Oh, she _loves_ Buchimaru,” came the reply, punctuated by a laugh. “Our apartment’s going to have the whole collection at this rate. Buchi-sensei, Doctor Buchi, Santa Buchi, Valentine’s Buchi, you name it. How about your son?”

I gave a nod, recalling how my child smiled whenever the television caught his attention. Oftentimes, Buchimaru was a point of interest, one among many.

Makoto bounced up and down, squeezing her toy. “Buchi! Buchi!”

“She’s very energetic,” the proud father added, “but also very sweet.”

“My son’s the same way, although he’s more energetic and home.” I ruffled Ren’s frizzy hair. “As soon as he can run, I’ll be quite busy.”

“I bet! I saw it happen with both of my daughters. I guess it’s normal for kids, huh?” He watched the children wander to the plushies again, donning a thoughtful look. “He has your eyes. How old is he? If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Fourteen months,” I replied. “And your daughter?”

“Almost two.” The man shook his head, we both stood, and he bowed. “I’m sorry. Haven’t introduced myself. I’m Niijima.”

I bowed as well. “Amamiya.”

The children returned to us, keeping a firm hold on their new plushies. However, my son stopped and went wide-eyed at something behind me. I excused myself and turned. A familiar person walked down the aisle: my husband.

He peered at the scene as he approached, studying the mirthful little ones. Ren huddled by my leg, peering up with joy. Makoto did the same by her father. How cute.

My husband smirked and pointed to the children. “Are they dating?”

As serious as Mr. Niijima might’ve appeared a moment ago, merriment came easy to him. “Maybe! Oh, I better think of some challenges for him.”

We all shared a good laugh. The children joined in, too, even if they didn’t understand what amused us.

Nonetheless, I pretended to scold my husband. “Really? _That_ was your first thought?”

He grew sheepish. “Sorry.”

We exchanged pleasantries with Mr. Niijima before parting ways. He and his daughter had to head home, and we needed to be at my in-laws’ by evening. Thank goodness we had plenty of time, and it didn’t take long to catch a bus. Once we settled in, I explained how our child met his new friend.

When I finished, my husband nodded. “Funny how she might’ve sensed he was sad. She’s so young.”

“Well, you know,” I said. “Little kids understand more than we realize.”

He leaned back against the seat. “I guess the commercials are right: Buchimaru-kun does bring friends together.”

I reached beside me and rubbed Ren’s head, but the motion didn’t disturb him. He slept in peace despite the noise on the bus, holding his present close. Seeing him asleep always made me wonder what he dreamed about. Right now, for instance, did he dream of adventuring with Magician Buchimaru—him and Makoto both?


End file.
